Electric fuse device



Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

One purpose of this invention is to provide a fusible device which can be suspended or supported as part of a circuit, and which shall elongate itself when the fuse link ruptures, thereby mechanically separating the ends of the fused element and also giving visible indication that the circuit is open.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows in side view a device which embodies this invention, with the fuse link intact; Fig. 2 shows the same device after the fuse link has ruptured; Fig. 3 shows in partial cross section a plan view of the device with the fuse link intact; and Fig. 4 shows a similar but partial view with the fuse link ruptured.

The device is supported by two conductors I, 2, which are held to the terminals 3, 4, by the clamps 5, 6. The clamps 'I, 8, secure the ends of the fuse link 9, I0, II, which is housed within the insulating tube I2. The tube I2 is secured to the metal terminal 3, and outside the tube I2 is the metal sleeve I3 which is integral with the terminal 4 and is held and guided by the projection I4 which slides back and forth in the slot I5. A spring I6 biases the two terminals apart when compressed as in Figs. 1 and 3. The spring also imposes a strain on the fuse link 9, I0, I I, and when overload ruptures the fusible portion I0, the spring instantly acts to separate the members as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Since this separation occurs Within the insulating tube I2, the arc is readily extinguished in the Well known manner.

After the trouble which caused the overload has been corrected, a new fuse link is readily inserted through the tube I2 and secured by the screws l, 8, holding the two terminals together once more as in Figs. 1 and 3.

The slot I5 and the projection I4 may be omitted if desired, so that the terminals shall become separated by an air gap after the fuse link shall have ruptured. And one familiar with the art can readily modify other details of the device as shown without departing from the purpose and spirit of this invention, and the claims are not limited to the particular forms of the various details herein described and shown.

I claim:

1. In a fuse device, an insulating tube a line terminal attached to one end of it, a metallic tube slidable over the other end of said insulating tube and biased away from it, a second line terminal on the metallic tube and spaced away from the rst said terminal, means to limit the relative travel of the two tubes and a fuse link extending within both tubes with an end connected to each of said terminals to hold the said tubes together.

2. In a fuse device, an insulating tube a line terminal secured to one end of it, a fuse link within the tube, means to secure the fuse link to said terminal, a compression spring around the other end of the said tube, a slidable tubular line terminal outside of the spring and biased by the spring away from the rst said terminal, together with means to secure the fuse link to the said tubular line terminal.

EDGAR W. GARRISON, JR. 

